Higgins Restaurant and Bar

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Reviews by wagenvolks:

Swung by this place for dinner with the girlfriend during a visit to the Portland area. Due to an Eddie Izzard concert that was beginning down the street, Higgins was packed. We put in our names for a table in the bar area, as we were nowhere near the "formal attire" requirement for the other half of the restaurant. The wait took over an hour, which we were expecting, but didn't mind as we were able to get seats at the cramped bar. Bartenders were as effective as they could be given the crowded status...I ordered a Hair of the Dog Greg on-tap. Bottle selection was extensive, but I would've like to see more locals on draught. Still, a pretty nice selection.

Finally seated at a table near the middle of the bar area, I ordered a seafood stew which was excellent. The lady's salmon was good, but woefully overpriced ($34!). Ordered a bottle of Hair of the Dog Fred, which was fantastic and decently priced. Overall, I enjoyed this restaurant and would definately return for special occasions, or only for a few pints at the bar.

More User Reviews:

Anniversary dinner, 5 years, 18/8/17
She wanted fine dining and I wanted beer so this place seemed right. Fancy but not up its self, nice draft list of local stuff and a bottle list that would have something for everyone. Drank a couple pints of Ex Novo NE IPA and I liked it so much I had a second so that says something. I was pretty much hammered at this point in the day otherwise I might've got into some vintage hotd stuff that was the same price at hotd the day before. The food? Ohh maaan the food!! I had a pork schnitzel and it couldn't have been improved upon, wifes hanger steak was something special. Big plates too, 40$ a plate should fill you up but this isn't one of those places where you eat 5 courses and go grab a cheeseburger after cause your still hungry after dropping 200$. My money was well spent here for sure. Not really a beer bar, more like fine dining with a giant beer list, my favorite meal on my trip south of 49....

Quality of both food and drink is quite good. The beer, wine and liquor are all very good quality.

Selection in terms of beer is more limited than a lot of places. Good quality, but only about a dozen taps . Nothing you couldn't get elsewhere in Portland probably at a better price.

Food it where the place really runs off the rails. They are too busy trying to be trendy with things like dandelion leaves, duck and kale, at the expense of the basics. We ordered 3 flatiron steaks and none were cooked as ordered. All undercooked, and I am medium rare steak man. Not a single chicken entree, which disagreed with the ladies. Everything on the place was the same color (dark) and same texture. Sauteed beets, kale and dandelions. The plate would have benefited from a splash of color. Carrots, asparagus, green beans. From the previous reviews it sounds like lunch may be a better time to visit Higgins.

The place is over-trendy and overpriced.

Again, based on the criteria. even my review makes the place sound better than it really is. The food is better in concept that in execution. Given the prices, I'd fire the chef and expand the tap selection. Next time I go to Portland I'll likely skip Higgins.

This great eatery plus beer bar is definitely a must if you live in Portland, or if ever you visit this great city. The small size and subtle music help create a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. Bartender was alert and helpful, but never overly friendly. The selection of beers on tap is small, but they offer only outstanding brews, mainly from the Pacific Northwest. Their food is very good - I heartily recommend their wonderful bread with olive oil, and especially the mushroom barley soup. I'm sure the other fare is at least as good.

Higgins is my favorite place to enjoy a meal and a beer in Portland. Specifically, the back bar. The servers are all knowledgable about local craft brews, belgians, and the like. They have several regular taps including Guinness and Chimay, and always feature the best seasonal beers from the area.

I would avoid anything IPA from the bottle menu. We found that they have bottles of Pliny the Elder that are more than a year old.

We walked into this place on a weekday evening after walking down from the Pioneer Courthouse Square area. At first we were a bit confused, because it appeared to be a quite fancy restaurant. We asked for the bar, and a helpful employee directed us. The bar is in a completely separated room, and has almost a ship-like feel. It's dark with lots of wood and yellow lighting. They were playing some pretty bad music. Mostly 70's easy listening type stuff.
We grabbed a spot at the small bar and perused the selection. It's actually a relatively small draught selection. About 9 on tap, and nothing crazy-good. But the Belgian bottle selection was amazing. The selection merits a 4.0 on the strength of the Belgian bottle list alone. Of course, it doesn't come cheap. This is probably the most expensive beer in Oregon. Even the stuff on tap was at least double the price it should have been. Everything appeared to be really high quality though, and served in appropriate glassware. Our server was very friendly and nice.

Overall it gets high marks, but the cost can be prohibitive. This is an excellent stop for those who live in the area and are looking for Belgians, but tourists are better off somewhere else to try Oregon microbrews at lower prices.

Ah, my bi-annual (give or take) visit to Higgins...as is often the case, these trips coincide with a rainy/sunny spring day and are unplanned. No exception here, an ambling stroll from work in a steady drizzle. A happy early birthday present to me...

Higgins, as mentioned a time or ten in prior reviews, is as classy a 'beer bar' as you'll find. It's not necessarily glitzy or glamourous, just comfortably elegant. In a dozen or so visits over the years, only once did we enjoy dinner in one of two small dining rooms that face SW Broadway; every other visit has been for a lunch, taken in the cozier bar around the corner on SW Jefferson.

The bar's space is dominated by a shelved backdrop, laden with glassware and booze bottles, garnished with faux-vintage(?) beer/wine placards and posters. South-facing windows ensure plenty of natural light, although the looming Ladd Tower condos across the street keep things much more shady than they once were. In front of the shelving is a thick slab of a bar, functional if not really ornate, and a gathering of 10-12 sturdy stools. Floors are of warm, but well- worn wood, walls are paneled in light tones and the ceiling has a vintage feel, adorned with pressed tin.

A barman (often Charles - I've seen him most every time the last 6-8 visits) offers a friendly greeting and seamlessly recites the day's specials. The cheapskate in me knows I can rely on the daily sandwich/salad special; a paltry $9 (compared with other lunch entrees in the $12-18 range) buys an exemplary portion of Higgins fare. On this latest visit it was a duck/pork terrine, garnished with quince chutney, spiced mustard, dried cherries, greens and hazelnuts layered between slabs of pumpernickel aside a heap of chunky potato salad and varied pickles...pair that with a 0.5l Hacker-Pschorr Weisse (my choice, but affirmed by the bartender as the best option) and you have something approaching the Divine. I could try to list other dishes I've had from memory, but would fail...suffice to say the food here will range from the 'merely' very good to the outstanding. As cliche as it sounds, I've not had a bad dish yet.

I've made it this far and have barely mentioned beer! Yesterday, I counted 11 taps & a cask handpump - two were out, though (Affligem Blond and HotD Greg ~ damn!). The others were: Chimay Tripel, Lindemans Framboise, Reissdorf Kolsch, the H-P Weisse (see above), Dogfish Head 60 Minute, Hopworks DOA, Double Mountain Hop Lava, and Guinness (nitro, of course); the cask was Beer Valley's Pigskin Pale. As I recall some of these are mainstays on the menu (the imports mostly) while the locals tend to rotate more (though Greg - named for restaurant owner/chef Greg Higgins - is one they keep on hand as often as possible).

A perusing of the bottled beer list (2 sides of a printed card) once seemed jaw-dropping; now only the prices seem so. It's not that the list is bad whatsoever; there's an excellent range of styles from Belgium, Germany, the UK and other points abroad. Belgians dominate the list, with about 50 bottles ranging from wits to lambics to quadrupels; the other categories have maybe 12-15 bottles each. The US collection of 20-25 is mostly comprised of Oregon locals (Rogue, Deschutes, HUB, Hair of the Dog) with a scattering of others (of note: Russian River, Jolly Pumpkin, Ommegang, Stone). Expect prices to be about double what could be found at a bottle shop and expect pints to run at least $6. A couple interesting notes: I saw Hair of the Dog's Michael and Cherry Adam from the Wood (both 12 oz. bottles) listed for $20 each; I also spotted PBR tallboys (Portland's ubiquitous hipster fave) for $4...had to laugh at that one.

With all the great new beer bars popping up throughout the metro area, it's easy to forget about Higgins. It was, is, and will remain more of an upscale restaurant than a bar...but it's still a place I enjoy on occasion and is certainly still at the top of it's game food+drink-wise. A (splurge)worthy destination - though follow my lead and try the lunch special, neither your belly or wallet will be disappointed.

Disclaimer: To review this place for food and beer in 2010, one must set aside some of what he/she knows of the craft beer 'explosion' in recent years. When Higgins first arrived on the dining scene, well over a decade ago, it was revolutionary. Fresh, local ingredients were the standard there well before the idea caught on elsewhere; local wineries were featured, too, and the beer list was among the widest ranging to be found anywhere. A 'beer steward' (the equivalent of a sommelier for the wine drinkers) is on staff now, acting to guide diners toward ideal pairings with their meals; for the educated beer drinker, the service may seem unnecessary and the tone may even be condescending - still it's an admirable gesture toward elevating beer to a much higher status at the dinner table, something this restaurant should be proud of. Kudos.

I was excited to be able to stop by here during my latest visit to Portland. Higgins is located on the busy corner of Broadway and Jefferson. There are two dinning rooms on the Broadway side and a bar room in back.

11 draft choices and a great bottle list with a heavy emphasis on Belgium choices. I didn't count, but I would guess they offer in excess of 100 bottles. Believe me, you will find something you like. Drafts come in glasses and pints.

Service was very informed and friendly. It was a trifle slow, but I was in no hurry. Also, their cuisine seems well suited for a more leisurely pace.

The menu contains lots of salads and starters. Two soup choices and a small but varied selection of main courses. There is lots of emphasis on PNW ingredients. They offer very nice homemade pastrami.

I come here from time to time and can grab a unique draft and/or decent bottle. The place has a nice location right by the park blocks and good atmosphere inside

The bar side is a bit small but has a nice aura to it and the bar/bar-top itself is classy, much like the staff. I have had nothing but good experiences with the staff and one barkeep in general is always super nice. The selection is fair and the bottle list does not change that much, it might be nice if they had a few more taps, not bad though

If any quarrels exist it is with price. The place is kinda upscale and more of a restaurant than a bar or pub. I have not had the food but I hear it is banging

Through a quick review of the prices on the menu during my first visit to Higgins, I decided that I'd just dine on beer.

I wasn't really that hungry anyway; although I did take notice that several of the dishes passing before me en route looked wonderful and smelled quite good. In fact, one couple at the booth closest to me seemed enthralled with their selections. But I was here for beer...

My bartender was good, but almost too good. He was engaged in several conversations at the opposite end of the bar and just couldn't get up to me.

When he finally did arrive, I was ready. I'd made my selection and I was ready to go but no, no, no - that was too easy for him! He had to make some small talk and then make suggestions for beer. ... ... ... Well, I don't really need small talk - that's just to help bolster his tip - and I don't really need suggestions (I've been brewing professionally for close to two decades and I'd already made up my mind about my selection) but he started into it. So, OK, you know about beer! Great! So do I. I'll still take the same beer I ordered the first time, thanks. He wasn't snooty, but he seemed like a salesman. I politely declined food as well, although he did put a good sell/spin on that.

Otherwise, it's a nice looking place. It's kind of old school looking out onto the street. It's got a tin ceiling, a wood floor, wood paneled walls, and a wood topped bar (it's a very nice big block with cubes of darker wood cut-in).

And getting back to the beer, there are ten taps (a hand pump for cask?) and about a hundred beers in bottles.

It's a decent place, but not one that I would frequent much if I lived there as it's kind of expensive.

Wow this place was even fancier than I thought it was going to be, definitely underdressed and immediately felt uncomfortable when I walked into the restaraunt area, quickly bolted for the bar and grabbed a table near some snobby people complaining about their steak they ordered, that was a treat, we ordered a bottle of Liefmans Goudenband to share and were told they just ran out, okay so we ordered something else and they were out of that as well, settled for an Oud Beersel Gueuze, a 375 ml bottle was ten dollars, not bad considering where we were, had it a few days earlier at home and really enjoyed it as well, proper glassware was brought to the table, we were a little hungry but did not really want to order any food because it looked like it would cost an arm and a leg, the fact that would be got charged three dollars for bread after we were told it was free was a joke, do not really care in the long run but still pretty lame, our waiter was not enjoyable by any means, thought he was a real know it all and talked to us like we had not had any of the beers on their bottle list before when really I have had all but about five of the hundred on there, nice bottle list but mostly all the stuff would be available in any good beer store for a much lesser price, would have been more happy if Greg was on tap but that was not there either, luckily we got to try it at Hair of the Dog a few days earlier, had around ten taps and none of them were impressive by any means, even their local brews were very widely available, I would skip this place in the future, I mean it is cool if you want to go to a real nice dinner and have a good beer with it, otherwise not impressive, still worth checking out

We made our way to the bar to start. The bar has an old timey fell to it, with a straight long bar with taps in front and mirrors behind. A few standing areas and tables fill the reasonably large area. The tap list was disappointing in that there were three open taps out of the ten or so taps there. Bottle list was nice but, as visitors, we wanted to do as much fresh, local draft as possible. Settled on Terminal Gravity IPA, which was a nice consolation.

We were seated on time in the moderately cramped but well appointed dining room. Service was prompt and attentive despite the quirkiness of the server. Dinner was very good. We had a nice salad, a blue cheese "flan" appetizer, halibut and the "whole pig" plate.

Prices were, I thought, a bit on the high side with our entrees at $29 and $30, and the duck entree topping the menu at $37.

Before I review this place, let me say that I think it a bit unfair that this place gets reviewed here. I certainly don't think it one of the better beer bars in town, yet given the rating criteria it's unavoidable that it would score high. As I recall, the Celebrator rated this place the best spot for food and beer in the country. While that may be true (I certainly can't argue against it), I think it's more about the food here than the beer selection.

As others have noted, this is an upscale restaurant, along with places like Paley's Place and The Heathman, one of the highest rated restaurants in the city (according to the Oregonian and Portland weeklies - The Mercury, etc.). It's reputation is clearly deserved; the times I've eaten here the food was terrific. That being said, let me also say that I almost NEVER order beer here. The wine list is outstanding at Higgins, and in my humble opinion, most of the food here goes better with wine. However, over on the bistro/bar side of the restaurant (the jefferson st. entrance), there is a very nice bar area with something like 10 taps. There is no "crap on tap" at Higgins, and what they have available is well thought out. As others have noted, the bottle selection (quite a few Belgiums) is also excellent.

The service at this fine restaurant is professional and knowledgable, exactly what you would expect at a fine dining establishment. Ditto with the atmosphere. There is a lot of wood and the dining room is very well appointed.

I'll finish by pointing out what should be obvious. For a fine dining establishment, I don't think the food prices are particularly out of line. They're about what you would expect. Last time I was there, I think dinner for 2 was around $150. However, for a beer bar, pub or tavern, the prices would be considered outrageous. At least I feel like I can ding them for that! Cheers!

1/5/09 update. Went here recently for New Year's eve dinner. If anything, the food was even better then I remembered (had the best cassoulet I can ever recall having), and the service and atmosphere superb.... and you know, there's just something profoundly gratfiying about a place where the girl friend can get a pre dinner glass of piper heidsick champagne, while yours truly can order a glass of Pliny. This place is just excellent.

The strike ended 3 days ago, seems like a lifetime. I'll say, "Yeah, we did 114 days in the sun", but really, we didn't do any time in the sun. The Teamsters did, standing out front the gate every day, walking back and forth and back again. First in great numbers, and then less and less as time went on and they lost their spirit. I was in a trailer or a truck these last 114 days; I didn't see no sun except when I came outside to fire up the grill (Somebody owes me a Summer). But now, just 3 days later, I'm at the Oregon Brewers Festival. We scored a few folding chairs beyond the far side of tent in that stretch along the fence near the Willamette River. I've got a beer and the sun on my face and it's everything's all good again. The girls showed, now we are six and Jon's got a plan for dinner...

Higgins is a very upscale restaurant; too nice a place for our drunken asses, but nobody balked at our dress or disposition. You remember Higgins from Magnum P.I., right? He was boorish and kind of an asshole, but he's got a real great place here. The lower room holds a dozen lamp lit tables of various sizes and shapes. Large paneled walls with vineyard prints, cut window archways to the middle room, and a wall of window to the front. 9 tables in the middle room, some sharing a common bench, and then 4 tables above, near the door and off the open kitchen, prints of gourds, roots and vegetables.

Down the hallway, a room to the rear. 9 booths & tables and a "C" shaped bar seating 14 with a large mirrored barback, shelves of booze and glassware over mirrors, glass front cupboards, spot lamps, a pressed tin ceiling, towers and single taps, beer signs and placards running above the bar, and the tap selections written on a blackboard.

Foodwise, Higgins is all about sustainable food practices, organics & regeneratives, and foods from small local farmers. I had the red bean & pork soup (spicy, had some good heat) and the Flatiron steak with cheddar mashed potatoes, onions and greens (killer steak). Not always room for but always in want of dessert, I had the orange & lemon sorbet, accompanied by cookies (yay!!) and complimented it with a Liefmans Kriek.

Service was polite, attentive and our beerness was well received. Excellent!!

Courtesy of a well deserved recommendation, we cruised by here after spending a fair part of the day and the Oregon Brewer's Fest. We weren't scraggly or anything, but not well dressed either, and at first I thought we might be out of place - this is a well-appointed, upscale restaurant with white-jacketed waiters, and it isn't cheap, by Portland standards (where I live "very expensive" means $100 or more per head, but you might consider this place expensive.) Yet, nobody cared we weren't wearing jackets, and the friendly wait staff even grilled us about the beer fest (and had read up on everything we ordered.)

They have a fantastic bottle list ('put that Jolly Pumpkin on this end of the table, please. Slander has the Orval'.), While the beer selection is great, (and Oregon pinot list for the wine nerd travelling with you,) you really go here for the food. I "split" (about 90-10) the sablefish salad appetizer and, frankly, I could have ordered another one for dinner and been quite happy. It was the best fish dish I've ever had. Ever. The flatiron steak was excellent as well, I had to skip dessert though, I was already in a food torpor but from what everyone else was saying even that was top-notch.

If you're sitting in a hostel thumbing through the greasy pages of your Lonely Planet guide looking for a cheap place to eat in Portland, put it down for once and take your credit card to Higgins'. There are a few places worth throwing some money down, and this is certainly one of them.

My wife and I stopped in for a late dinner after arriving in Portland. Short walk from the downtown hotel we were staying at. The front of the restaurant was an upscale dining area and all table were full. We were told about 1/2 hour wait for the front of the restaurant, or a booth was available in the pub section. So we walked to the more casual, heavy wood looking bar area. Luckily we could order of the regular dinner menu here. The bar had about 12 stools and most were empty. A chalkboard listed beers on tap. Loads of bottled beers available too.

The food is phenominal, as the razor clams I had were top notch, along with the wild salmon the wife enjoyed. I also saw some eating burgers that looked outstanding, and I later found out from some locals they thought Higgin's burgers were the best in town.

Service was slow, but it was crowded. The waitress did take some time to discuss other good places to hit in Portland during our stay. She was also pretty knowledgable about the beers offered.

This is a must stop for anyone visiting downtown Portland for great food and nice beer selection.

Higgins is a Portland landmark. It is famous for its gourmet food with local ingredients.

The other reviewers wrote about the restaurant which is a luxury that we only enjoy on special occasions. We frequently go to the attached pub which serves less expensive but equally delicious food.

They have ten beers on tap. Not a single Coors or Bud variety amongst them. They tend to be extremely flavorful Belgians and local beers and change rapidly. Some Belgians I haven't seen anywhere else on draft (including Belgium!).

Prices are high. A belgian draft can cost $6. That is steep for Portland.

The bar menu (bistro) includes a cheesburger (chopped sirloin on a roll) which may be Portland's finest. The mussels are also really good.

Finally, there's the bottled beer list. They have over a hundred. Again, the choices are usually quite good with some unusual and hard to find ones thrown in.

The bar is smallish and there may be a wait when its busy. On particularly busy nights, they cover the tables in the bar with linen and it becomes an extension of the restaurant. You can still sit at the bar, though.

Whoah, HIGGINS! My girlfriend and I were referred to this place by her boss, who is both a chef and friends with Chef Higgins. We were so glad he did.

This is most certainly fine dining, but the layout and decor was so comfortable. The kitchen was rather open so you get a nice glimpse at the people helping Chef Higgins with the magic.

Higgins is one of those wonderful places that supports local, organic, sustainable farming. I consider myself very fortunate to love great food and to actually be able to afford it from time to time. Thus, I have eaten in at least a fair share of top-end restaurants. Higgins is as good as any of them.

I looked at the beer list and I almost freaked out. I expected something decent, being in Portland, but their selection really floored me. It felt so nice to drink some world-class beer with a world-class meal.

The service was near perfect. If you are in Portland and are in the mood for fine dining, this is your place. Beer lovers rejoice! This is a fine example of what a restaurant can be with just a healthy respect for craft beer. It's expensive, but any restaurant that focuses on organics is going to be on the high side. That said, considering the amazing ingredients and the skill used to create each dish, I think you get what you pay for.

My mother treated my fiancee and me to dinner here on a Saturday night during a visit to Portland in October.

Upon entering I realized I should have dressed better than a T-shirt: This is a fancy restaurant. Fortunately, I wasn't made to feel out of place. It's got dark wood and paintings on the walls through the multileveled place. Large glass windows let in views of the street.

Higgins is big on organic food. Mom and I both had their wild salmon. It was awesome. My fiancee had their steak, which she thought was too rich. I enjoyed the bit I had, though. She loved their tomato soup, however, and raved about it during the rest of our trip.

I was really impressed that they have a beer menu. It first lists on-tap beers. They have an organic beer brewed to their chef's specs. I had it and it was good. Sadly, their cask beer was kicked by the time we got there. The rest of the menu is bottled beer divided by place of origin. For dessert I couldn't resist having a Thomas Hardy's Ale, a beer I've read so much about here on BA but have never seen.

This is a very nice restaurant that happens to have a great beer selection. It's expensive, but I say worth it for a special occasion.